Benefits and risks of the 'Internet of Things'

Four years ago, with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the lab in the UW's Department of Computer Science & Engineering co-led an effort that first exposed weaknesses in car computer systems and demonstrated that hackers could remotely control a vehicle's brakes, door locks and other functions.
The lab's work is increasingly influential as computers are installed in countless everyday devices, making users' lives better and easier, but also putting them at risk for identity theft and even physical harm. This year alone, more than 530 security breaches have compromised more than 140 million records kept by credit card and insurance companies, hospitals, government agencies and others.